{coyotes} COYOTES (10-12-3) at FLAMES (15-8-2)

Monday, 1 December 2014

{coyotes} COYOTES (10-12-3) at FLAMES (15-8-2)

It's a Wonderful Life / The Polar Express

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

9:00 PM ET

COYOTES (10-12-3) at FLAMES (15-8-2)

TV: FS-A PLUS, SNW

Season series: The Calgary Flames have won the first two games against the Arizona Coyotes, including a 3-0 victory Saturday in Glendale. Flames forward Jiri Hudler had a goal and three assists in the two games, and rookie left wing Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist Saturday to end his eight-game goal drought.

Coyotes team scope: Arizona opened its quick two-game trip to Alberta by snapping a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Rookie Tobias Rieder scored two shorthanded goals 58 seconds apart in a four-goal second period for the Coyotes. He has four goals and three assists in his first 15 NHL games. "He is a really good player," coach Dave Tippett said of Rieder. "He is a smart player who reads situations really well. He is a good, skilled player and is tenacious on the puck. He has been really good for us and he has a good career ahead of him." Goalie Mike Smith made 25 saves in ending his personal seven-game losing streak (0-2-5). Devan Dubnyk might get the start given the back-to-back situation. Arizona will play its next five games and seven of 10 at home; the Coyotes are 4-5-2 at Gila River Arena.

Flames team scope: Calgary enters Tuesday three points behind the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division. The Flames, who finished 13th out of 14 in the Western Conference last season, have been buoyed in part by their high-scoring defense corps, led by captain Mark Giordano, who has 25 points (six goals) and was named Monday as the NHL's First Star for November. Hudler is on a four-game goal streak; he has five goals in that span. Goalie Karri Ramo comes in with back-to-back shutouts; he was named the NHL's "Third Star" for the week ending Nov. 30, when he stopped all 58 shots he faced. Ramo will start against Arizona, according to coach Bob Hartley. "It makes it easy on us to keep riding with him," Hartley said Monday of Ramo's shutout streak, according to the Flames website. "But at the same time, look at [goalie Jonas Hiller] practice again today. We have two great workers. Whenever we need [Hiller] he'll be ready."

Team Stats